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(IPYS-Venezuela/IFEX) - On February 15, 2012 sports journalist Walter Obregón was threatened with death by a group Zamora Football Club fans nicknamed ?"La Burra Brava" (The Mad Donkey). The incident happened in the state of Barinas, western Venezuela.

Obregón is a reporter for the local newspaper "La Noticia", as well as for "El Universal". Obregón said that he does not know why he has received such threats, after hearing about them from a relative.

The threats seem to be connected to a statement he made regarding the poor conditions of the stadium where the Copa Libertadores match between Zamora Football Club and Argentina's Boca-Juniors was to be played.

Additionally, Walman Linares and Andres Henríquez from "La Prensa" and "De Frente" newspapers also reported that they have received attacks and threats from the authorities of Zamora Football Club, as well as from its fans. Obregón told IPYS-Venezuela that Jhonny Peña, host of a radio program broadcast by Radio Sport, made offensive remarks about the journalists. He said that they "wanted to finish the football team".

Henríquez reported that his social networking and e-mail accounts have been hacked. He also said that he has received strange phone calls from unknown numbers since February 10.

Linares clarified that there have been damaging remarks from the president of Zamora Football Club, Adelis Chávez, the brother of President Hugo Chávez. "These attacks started on June 6, 2011 but have been a constant for about 6 months," Linares said.

It is important to highlight that on January 13 Obregon and Henriquez denounced restrictions on access to information from the top authorities of Zamora Football Club, namely Adelis Chávez and Akram Almatni.

This report documents 45 cases from Caracas and three states, involving more than 150 victims, in which security forces have abused the rights of protesters and other people in the vicinity of demonstrations.

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